Vitruvian Health Care System makes history by naming the first female CEO in the history of what is now Bradley Medical Center that has cared for the healthcare needs of the community for over seven decades.
“Lisa Lovelace, MBA, MA, was named president and chief executive officer of Bradley Medical Center on Aug. 1. Her leadership through this acquisition has been invaluable to our organization and her commitment to the Cleveland community has been evident throughout her career,” said Jeff Myers, president and chief executive officer of Vitruvian Heath Care System.
“We are excited to see Bradley Medical Center evolve under the guidance of Lisa and the leadership team.”
Officials said, "Lisa is no stranger to Cleveland, as she is from Bradley County, graduated from Bradley County High School and then was proud to come back to Cleveland as a healthcare executive starting out at the Bradley Medical Center’s Westside Campus. With over 26 years as a healthcare executive, she has been recognized as a leader people look up to and works to align with the team to solve problems. She has been recognized as a leader who helps grow and mentor those around her to help them reach their goals.
"In her role of assistant chief executive officer/chief operating officer at Bradley, she was one of the driving forces that brought growth in key specialty services such as cardiology, neurology and primary care, so that her family, friends and community neighbors had access to quality, compassionate care close to home. She is a true servant to her community, striving for excellence, for every person, every time, whether it is the employees, the medical staff, the volunteer or our patients.
"Even though Lisa has had the opportunity to work around the region as a healthcare executive, her heart remained in Cleveland as she continued to foster the community by serving on local boards such as YMCA board, the Family Resource Agency board as well as United Way, Funds Distribution and Existing Industry committees, and is a graduate of the Bradley County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Cleveland."
Joining Ms. Lovelace will be Tammy Seay, vice president and interim chief nursing officer; Ernie Elemento, vice president and chief operating officer; Wes Griffith, vice president and chief financial officer; and Jeanette Fetter, vice president and chief quality officer.
Officials said, "Tammy Seay DNP, RN, CNOR, vice president and interim chief nursing officer, has served over 28 years as a nurse and as an executive nurse leader, impacting organizational performance and promoting a culture of high quality, safety and team member engagement. Tammy is a familiar face to the newly named Bradley Medical Center as she previously served as the assistant chief nursing officer. Making the transition to vice president and interim chief nursing officer has been seamless. Through the acquisition, Tammy’s leadership was evident as she stood by her team to ensure safe, quality care as we crossed over and became Bradly Medical Center. Her drive for excellence was recognized when asked to be involved in the application of the Tennessee Center for Performing Excellence for her facility in Knoxville. Tammy is dedicated to leading change, motivating, and developing effective teams to implement long-term improvements to deliver exceptional service for our community.
"Ernie Elemento, MBA, vice president and chief operating officer, joins us from Hamilton Medical Center. He has over 20 years of executive leadership and 10 years of clinical experience when he practiced as a licensed physical therapist. This combination allows him the ability to help drive operational change with a true understanding of the needs of his departments. He is recognized for his collaborative leadership, strategic planning, patient and associate engagement, and physician partnerships. While at Hamilton, Ernie oversaw the Peeples Cancer Institute, Pharmacy, Imaging, Laboratory, Rehab, Hamilton Spine Health, and Sport to name a few. Ernie’s departments are already recognizing him for his contributions and support as evidenced by his leadership during the night of the acquisition. The mission to care for the Cleveland community is clearly of top priority for him and his departments.
"Wes Griffith, MBA, MAcc, vice president and chief financial officer, may be a name you have heard from before. Like Lisa, Wes was previously on the executive team and has come back to the Cleveland community. Wes’s expertise in financial operations will be valuable as we work to evolve and grow resources for Bradley Medical Center. Wes works directly with managers regarding any questions around financial objectives and goals. His leadership style has allowed many managers to grow stronger and more confident in their knowledge of their own department’s financial goals, evidenced by receiving the Trusted Leader award back-to-back years in his previous facility.
"Jeanette Fetter, RN, MBA, vice president and chief quality officer, has over 40 years’ experience in Nursing and Management/Administration and is a native of Bradley County. She began her journey at Cleveland State Community College where she received her associate’s degree to start her journey as a healthcare executive. Jeanette has witnessed a lot of change during her 40-year career at our facility, but her commitment to her team, the patients and her community never has. This was never more evident than witnessing her leadership during the acquisition. She leads by example and is well respected amongst the healthcare community for her expertise in quality standards, The Joint Commission standards, and other regulatory standards. Many of her processes have been used in other facilities and recognized as best practices."
“I am proud of this team, and we look forward to serving with compassion to improve the health and well-being of our communities and be the model for excellence and service in health care,” said Ms. Lovelace, president and chief executive officer Bradley Medical Center.